Phillip S.K. Ooi

Phillip S.K. Ooi is the Chair and Arthur N. L. Chiu Distinguished Professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. His office is located in Holmes Hall 383 at 2540 Dole Street, with contact via phone (808-956-8512) or email (ooi@hawaii.edu). He holds professional engineering registration in geotechnical engineering since 1992.

Education:

• Ph.D., Civil Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1991
• M.S., Civil Engineering, MIT, 1984
• B.Sc., Civil Engineering, University of Leeds (UK), 1983

Research Interests: Dr. Ooi specializes in geotechnical engineering with emphasis on soil-structure interaction, slope stability, landslide monitoring systems, geosynthetic-reinforced structures, recycled materials in construction, and advanced soil characterization techniques. His work integrates field instrumentation, laboratory testing, and numerical modeling to address transportation infrastructure challenges.

Publication Trends: Recent articles (2011-2023) demonstrate a strong focus on practical geotechnical solutions for transportation systems, including landslide monitoring using InSAR, performance of geosynthetic-reinforced bridges, soil erosion modeling, and innovative testing methods for construction materials. Recurring themes include field validation of designs, tropical environment considerations, and sustainable material applications.

Awards & Honors:

• Fulbright Research Grant (2019, 2022)
• Hi Chang Chai Excellence in Teaching Award (2008, 2014, 2024)

Grants & Projects: As Principal Investigator, he secured over $3M+ in research funding from FHWA and Hawaii DOT, including:

• Landslide warning systems development
• GRS-IBS bridge performance monitoring
• Forensic analysis of pavement distress
• Recycled materials in highway applications
• Scour prediction in Hawaiian rivers

Teaching (Recent): Courses include Geotechnical Engineering I/II, Deep Foundations, Earth Pressures, and Numerical Methods in Geotechnics, reflecting his technical specialization and educational leadership.